LaVell Edwards Stadium
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| Former names | Cougar Stadium (1964–2000) |
|---|---|
| Location | 1700 N Canyon Rd, Provo, UT 84604 United States |
| Coordinates | 40°15′27″N 111°39′16″W / 40.25750°N 111.65444°WCoordinates: 40°15′27″N 111°39′16″W / 40.25750°N 111.65444°W |
| Owner | Brigham Young University |
| Operator | Brigham Young University |
| Capacity | 63,470 (2011–present) 63,725 (2010) 64,045 (2003–2009) 65,000 (1982–2002) 35,000 (1968–1981) 28,812 (1964–1967) |
| Record attendance | 66,247 (vs. Notre Dame, 1993) |
| Surface | Natural grass |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | October 1963 |
| Opened | October 2, 1964 |
| Architect | Fred L. Markham |
| Tenants | |
| BYU Cougars (NCAA) (1964–present) | |
LaVell Edwards Stadium is an outdoor athletic stadium in Provo, Utah, on the campus of Brigham Young University (BYU). Primarily used for college football, it is the home field of the BYU Cougars. The playing field is natural grass and is at an elevation of 4,649 feet (1411 m) above sea level. The field runs in the conventional north–south direction, with the press box along the west sideline.
The stadium opened on the north end of campus in 1964 as Cougar Stadium, replacing a smaller, 5,000-seat stadium of the same name. The seating capacity of the facility was just under 30,000 with stands on both sides of the playing field. Seating was soon added to make room for 35,000 fans. Temporary bleachers placed at the back of the end zones raised the capacity to 45,000. The stadium was expanded in 1982 to accommodate more than 65,000; permanent concrete stands in the end zones, separated by entryways from the east and west grandstands, were put in place of the temporary bleachers. The playing field was lowered eight feet (2.4 m), and the running track was removed to make room for six additional rows. Following the retirement of head coach LaVell Edwards after the 2000 football season, the stadium was renamed in his honor.
To increase revenue, the stadium was renovated in 2003 to provide more luxury seating, which resulted in a slight reduction of seating capacity to 64,045. The luxury seating was a noticeable addition because the arrangement of blue and white seats in this section spells out BYU in block letters. On August 30, 2008, BYU unveiled a new video board on the north end zone, allowing fans seated in the south end zone to see the instant replays and graphics which previously were shown only on the south board. During summer 2010, the capacity of the stadium was further reduced due to some renovations that allowed for more wheelchair accessibility. As of 2016, a crowd of 63,470 (or more) is considered a sellout at LaVell Edwards Stadium.
Prior to the 1982 expansion, the stadium hosted events for BYU's outdoor track and field teams. In fact, the stadium hosted the NCAA Track and Field Championships in 1967 and 1975. With the removal of the track from Cougar Stadium (as it was still known at that time), a new track facility was built just south of the stadium - it was later named the Clarence F. Robison Track to honor the team's legendary former coach.
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